As of 2017, about 5% of the U.S. population had work from home jobs. More and more people are working from home nowadays. It may seem easier than going into work to do your job, but there are many challenges that you’ll face.

Your home is filled with distractions and comfort. The two biggest roadblocks are your children and devices. They can take you away from your work, even when you’re trying to get work done.

Below we’ll review what you can do to keep your productivity on track.

Time Management

An important aspect of working at home is knowing how to divide your time. The best way to do this is to create a schedule.

Write down everything you want to get done for each day, or the week. Next, rank the items on your list from most to least important. Figure out how much time you want to be spent on each of those items.

Set specific hours you want to work, once those hours are over put your work away. You don’t want your home life or your work life to completely take over.

Making a schedule will help you realize how much time you have in the day. It’ll show you that you may have more time than you initially thought. A schedule will help you reduce your stress as you’ll have everything planned out.

When creating your schedule make sure to insert time for yourself. You’ll want to schedule breaks of course, but remember to set aside 5-15 minutes to focus on yourself each day. Don’t worry about chores, don’t think about work, just relax.

If you have trouble creating a schedule, you can see if your boss can set designated hours for you to work. This can help keep you accountable for the work.

Remember to Take Breaks

To help prevent burnout and keep your mind sharp, take breaks while you work. You can take breaks between 5-20 minutes long. You can schedule this time to check on your kids, stretch, or do quick chores. The point of breaks is to break up the monotony of your day, they let your brain recharge.

It’s important to make sure you include breaks in your schedule, not pick random times each day. Make sure your family knows when your breaks are and not to disturb you when you aren’t on break.

Consider your mealtimes as breaks as well. Work should not be done while you’re eating. Instead, eat with your family or friends, or even eat outside for a nice change of scenery.

Furthermore, make sure to schedule days off and stick to them. You’ll burn out fast if you work every single day. Moreover, your days off give you a chance to spend quality time with your family.

Have a Designated Workspace

The easiest way to stick to your schedule is to have a set workspace. Make sure your family knows not to enter this space during your working hours.

If your family needs you, you get an important phone call, or you need to leave the space, do not take your work with you. Interacting with others in your workspace (that’s not work-related) can interrupt your workflow.

When you need to work, only work in this space. You’ll have an easier time focusing when you have a consistent place where you work.

Turn Off Your Devices and/or Notifications

Turn off any unnecessary devices or move them to another room (e.g. phones, tablets, TVs). Having them off or away from you helps remove the temptation to use them.

If you need your phone for work, turn off any unnecessary notifications. Moreover, place the phone somewhere out of sight (like a desk drawer) that way you’ll only reach for it when you need it.

When using your phone for work move around your applications. Put applications that will distract you on a separate screen. Next, have a designated screen for work-related apps.

Make sure to swipe to your work apps before you start working, that way you’re less likely to use other apps.

Let your family members and friends know when your work hours are. Make sure they know that they shouldn’t call you during this time frame unless it’s an emergency.

At the same time, make sure your boss knows to only contact you during your work hours. One aspect of your life shouldn’t dominate all your time.

Change up Your Attire

A great way to help get you into the mood of working is to wear work clothes. It may sound nice to wear your pajamas at home, but that can put you in a state of comfort and make you less inclined to work.

After you’re finished with work you can switch into more comfortable clothing. Changing your clothing regularly can make it easier for you to switch your mindset. Your mind will know what you should be focused on based on your attire.

Exercise, Exercise, Exercise

Getting motivated and starting your day can be tricky. When you exercise every morning it helps give you an energy boost. Working out can increase your productivity and help you focus better.

You’ll have more energy throughout the day to get everything done. Moreover, working out helps reduce the stress you may be under and keep you nice and fit.

When you spend all your time at home you aren’t moving around as much. It’s important for your body’s health to add an exercise routine to your daily life.

Communication

Regularly communicate with your boss to make sure you’re performing your duties adequately. Check in to see if you’re getting your tasks done on time.

If you work with a team and you all work from home, constant communication is key. Discuss with the team what tasks each of you will be focused on. Moreover, schedule when you should have meetings to follow up.

If you work as a group regularly, use certain apps like Slack so you work more effectively together.

Make sure each member of the team is held accountable. This will help you have a consistent workflow. The more levels of accountability you can place on yourself, the more likely you’ll get the work done.

Work From Home Jobs are a Growing Trend

Work from home jobs are even more prevalent today. It’s important to know how to separate your work life from your home life. Hopefully, this guide has helped you better understand how to balance your life.

Review our working remote resources if you want to learn more.